Thailand Travel Guide Tour

Doi Inthanon

The rooftop of Thailand

CHIANG MAI PROVINCE.Here are a few of the many reasonswhy one should visit Doi Inthanon National Park: the eponymouspeak is the highest in Thailand; the Park includes 1,274 plantspecies, 90 of which are orchids (31 of which are found uniquelythere); and the area is home to 466 animal species, 385 of thosebeing birds (including the Green-tailed Sunbird).

Besides being rich in floral and faunal life, the Park is dotted witha number of waterfalls of various sizes.

Doi Inthanon has something for everyone, whether day-trippersor those planning to thoroughly explore the Park. The day mightbe filled with a visit to the highest point in Thailand, which canbe reached by car, and is clouded with mist all year round, thetemperature never exceeding 17º C. This may be followed with a
30-minute walk along the nearby Ang Ka nature trail. The neat,elevated wooden platform with railings leads through the mosscovered forest, where mixed plant-societies on single trees canbe observed.

Toward the end of the trail, there is a path leading to the shrineof Chao Krom Kiat. The small spirit pavilion is built on a pieceof helicopter wreckage as a memorial to Air Chief Marshal KiatMangkhlapruek and the late national park director who died onduty in a crash at that spot in May 1971.

The rest of the day might be spent touring the waterfalls. The mostenchanting are Wachirathan, Mae Klang, and Mae Ya. Thesefalls are easy to access by car, with trails leading up to differentlevels. Picnic areas and restaurants are available. The first two fallsare on the same road after the first checkpoint; only Mae Ya standsalone south of the main national park area, on the 14 km roadthat branches off Highway 1009 and meanders through aresidential area.

A Whole Day TrekkingDoi Inthanon also offers an array of treks. Most treks run all year round, and only a few routes require a ranger or local guide (contact National Park Headquarters at Km. 31 for information and arrangements). One of the most interesting routes is the Kio Mae Pan trail, which is open only from 1 June to 31 October, as its fragile ecosystem needs more time to recover than most. The distance of this circular trek is only 3 km, but discerning trekkers may take a whole day to complete it.

Bird lovers should not forget to pack binoculars, and should try tovisit between October and March. If an English speaking guide isrequired, just cross the street from the Park Headquarters to theInthanon Bird Centre. The Centre has been there since 1962; itscustomer service attested to by walls lined with name cards fromsatisfied clients.